Pakistan’s top court resumes hearings in hanging of 1st elected Premier Bhutto

By Aamir Latif

KARACHI, Pakistan (AA) - Pakistan’s top court resumed long-pending hearings Tuesday that seek to declare the hanging of the country’s first elected Prime Minister Zulfikar Ali Bhutto a “judicial murder," according to court records.

A nine-judge bench led by Chief Justice of Pakistan Qazi Faez Isa heard the reference filed by Asif Ali Zardari, the former president and co-chairman of Bhutto’s Pakistan People’s Party (PPP), in 2011. The hearing was broadcast live.

“I must regret on behalf of the Supreme Court that it was not listed earlier because we have a policy now of first in first out unless there is some urgency in a particular case,” said Isa.

He noted that several amicus curiae, or friends of the court, have died or were excused and the court has appointed new amicus to assist judges as “the reference entailed constitutional and criminal questions.”

The court adjourned until the second week in January.

The last hearing was held in November 2012.

Bhutto, who served as prime minister from 1973 to 1977, was hanged April 4, 1979, after being convicted in a murder trial by the Lahore High Court. His appeal was rejected by the Supreme Court.

Bhutto’s elected government was toppled by his hand-picked Army Chief Gen. Zia-ul-Haq in July 1977.​​​​​​​

Bhutto’s grandson and the PPP Chairman, Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, told reporters he expects justice from the court.

“We do not want this for ourselves, or the party only, but for the people of Pakistan," he said at a news conference after the hearing in the national capital of Islamabad.